The invention relates to a clamping device for capping any type of pipe carrying fluids therein, such as pipes carrying oil, water, chemicals, radio active material, and the like, and more particularly, for capping pipes in which the fluid therein is on fire, such as oil well fires, where the invention also relates to the apparatus for mounting the clamping device on the fluid carrying pipe for capping same, such as to put out the oil well fire.
Recently, there is a great need to put out a very large number of oil well fires in one area, where the prior art methods such as using explosives, water, chemicals, sand and the like to put out such fires have not been very efficient and require a great deal of time in order to put out each of the fires. Due to the fact that the burning oil wells have been found to pollute the environment, and that the burning oil is costing the owners of the oil wells a considerable amount of money, it is desirable to put out the oil well fires in an efficient manner as soon as possible. Furthermore, there is a need to put out the oil well fires in such a manner which would not endanger the persons who are putting out the fires, such as could be expected when explosives are used.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,822,141 discloses means for closing oil wells including a plug adapted to be located at an open end of an oil well, in combination with means activated by the pressure escaping from the well to rotate the plug, and further means in association with the plug for moving the plug longitudinally to a proper position in the well in order to close the well. Additional means are provided in this patent for connecting the plug to the well to permit rotation of the plug into the well. It is noted, that this patent is only directed to means for closing oil wells, and is not intended to be used to put out oil well fires, particularly in view of the structure thereof which is not designed to be fire resistant.
Accordingly, there is present a need for a clamping device and an apparatus for mounting same in order to put out oil well fires and the like in an efficient manner, in a short amount of time, and at a safe distance from the oil well fires.